Cat Contact Dermatitis

Reddened, itchy areas of skin can be seen on any cat that comes in direct contact with an irritating substance. Hairless or thin coated areas, such as the abdomen, the armpits, the inner thighs, the chest, and the area between the toes are usually affected. In addition, irritation around the neck is common from flea collars.

Other common irritants are plastics, soaps, insecticides, flea collars, wool (particularly wool rugs), dyes (especially those used in nylon carpets), paint, or wood preservatives. Have any of these entered your cat's life recently? Poison ivy, poison oak, pollens, and grasses can also cause contact dermatitis. If your pet is on a new drug, this could be the source of the problem.

Cat Contact Dermatitis Home Remedies

First, try to identify the offending substance. If you think you have found the culprit, try to eliminate it from your cat's environment.

To relieve the itching, apply calamine lotion to the red areas three times daily. Cool compresses of Burrow's solution (Domeboro), applied for fifteen minutes every six hours, is an alternative. Cats should not be given antihistamines without your veterinarian's okay.

If the lesions are extensive, if home treatment is ineffective, or if the skin infection seems to be getting worse, a visit to your veterinarian may be necessary.

Cat Contact Dermatitis Treatment

Your veterinarian will get a complete history in order to discover the identity of the offending substance. He or she will, of course, first rule out other skin diseases. Skin scrapings or skin biopsies may be done.

An antibiotic-steroid cream applied four times daily and steroid tablets work well, even if the culprit cannot be identified. Treatment is usually necessary for one to two weeks. Steroids should not be used for long periods of time, but if the condition recurs, steroids can be used for a short time again. Your doctor may advise medicated baths and cold applications of Burrow's solution.

Prevention

Air out a new flea collar for three days before using it, and buy the recommended size for your cat. If a neck irritation occurs, do not use a flea collar.

The best possible way to prevent the incidence of dermatitis is to by restricting the movement of the pet to the places where it might get exposed to the infection. To kill the germs use fatty acids, antihistamines, topical shampoos and biotin can be used to control the spread of the germs and the sensation of itching. The following are some of the preventive steps that can be taken up to fight against dermatitis.

• Feed your cat in bowls that are made up of glass and stainless steel. Make sure the feeding bowls or containers are cleaned and washed properly on a regular basis.
• Wash and clean your pet’s bedding with hypoallergenic detergents.
• To remove any incidence of allergens in your pet take your cat for regular bathing by using hypoallergenic shampoos.
• While taking your pet out for a walk make sure of not walking along the extreme sideways of roads, pavement edges and even on grass.

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